The Karnataka government will not allow 52 acres reserved for a botanical park near Jigani in Bengaluru’s Anekal area to be used for other purposes, Forest, Biology and Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Wednesday. He also announced that he would inspect the site with forest officials this week.
The land is located at Survey No. 5 in Hennagara, near Jigani, Chandapura. Speaking to reporters, Reddy said the forest department’s land would not be allowed to be encroached upon and that he would discuss the issue with senior forest officials.
The minister said the government had stated that the land could not be claimed under the Bagair Hukum cultivation scheme because it falls within 18 kilometres of the Greater Bengaluru Authority. He also referred to a High Court direction to clear encroachments from forest department land, saying action would be taken in this regard.
The proposed inspection is expected to establish the status of the land reserved for the botanical park and inform the next steps by the forest department. The source report did not provide details on the nature, extent or identity of any alleged encroachment on the 52-acre site.
Reddy’s statement comes as the state government also outlines plans for additional public green spaces in and around Bengaluru. He said the forest department would facilitate the creation of 10 tree parks in the city and arrange trekking facilities wherever suitable land is available.
According to the minister, a tree park has already been established at Panathur. He also identified forest department land near Kalkere, Gunjur, north Bengaluru and Turahalli for parks. The areas mentioned include 100 acres at Kalkere and 150 acres near Gunjur, although the statement did not specify project schedules, budgets or implementation agencies for these proposals.
The minister said Bengaluru has a population of 1.4 crore and that parks would be developed in locations where they are needed in proportion to the city’s population. The statement links the protection of the Hennagara site with a wider plan to expand access to green spaces, tree parks and trekking areas across the metropolitan region.
The immediate administrative step announced for the botanical park land is a site visit with forest officials during the week. Further action will depend on the inspection and the measures taken under the government’s stated position on forest land and the High Court direction cited by the minister.
